Top 14 self care tips for wedding planning |Bliss vs. Bride-zilla

As much as I don’t enjoy using the words, wedding planning really can become a stressful process and one that brings out the so-called “bridezilla” in even some of the most chill newly-engaged lovelies out there.

I see the stress start to take over so often in my brides when we meet for consultations. And more recently, as a bunch of my beautiful besties have found themselves with a sparkly new accessory on their fingers.

Once the engagement fun starts to settle into the new normal, overwhelm and the wedding planning crazies of “where to start,” and “what to do,” can quickly start to take over. That’s where this chat about self-care comes in.

SELF-CARE TIPS FOR WEDDING PLANNING

Yes, self-care, filling your own well, treating yourself like a friend.  All of that is so important for well, kinda the rest of your life. But, even more so as you enter this new space of “bride-to-be” status, you may find yourself looking for some self care tips for wedding planning process.

So, bar my usual advice of please, just.hire.the.planner, let’s chat today about keeping you blissful vs. bride-zilla and the 14 self care tips you can use during your wedding planning process to make it a fun, joyful and happy one.

THE BASICS.

I’ve recently been doing some work with a nutritionist because uh…after a 14 hour wedding day, my body kinda hates me. And last month I took part in a little reset challenged focussed on just three things. Eat. Move. Sleep. Only three things? Oh I’ve totally got this, this’ll be easy. Trust me, it sounds way more simple than it is! Add to this balancing full-time life along side wedding planning and these three really simple steps can often be the most ignored.

1. Eat.

Make sure you are fuelling your body with whole, nutritious food. Do what you need to. Make the changes you need to make. You’ll probably be thinking of going on some form of “sweat for the dress” madness anyway.

This is just a much better way of doing it.

Trust me, you’ll still inhale chocolate bars and clink more champagne glasses than you’ve ever clinked in your life. But if the foundation is there, you’ll be able to deal with all the decisions coming your way AND feel amazing in your dress on the dance floor.

2. Move.

Close the screen/planner/Instagram and go get yo’ move on!

Dance class, yoga, a walk on the beach if you live somewhere deliciously sunny. Try to move for at least 30 minutes every day.

One of my favourite self-care routines when we were wedding planning was my weekly walk ‘n talk with my bestie. The poor girl had to hear every agonising detail of the planning and every emotion that came along for the ride but hey, that’s what your bridesmaids said yes to (within reason of course!)

Whether you do it with your vip bestie, on your own or with your partner, moving always helps put things into perspective a little.

3. Sleep.

It will be tempting to stay up all night surfing Pinterest. I know. And leading up to the wedding you’ll feel the need to “be stressed,” mostly because everyone will be asking you if you are. The more you sleep, the more things will make sense. It’s something I’m really trying to work on but if you’re eating and moving, it will be easier to get a good sleep schedule going. Also, your skin will thank you!

THE SMALL CHANGES

4. Vitamins

If you’re not already on a recommended supplement regime, get on that now during the planning process.

5. Journal/Meditate

My second favourite little routine I implemented during our planning process and one that I still do today.

It doesn’t have to be pages of scribe explaining your every emotion. It can be as simple as one line on your phone notepad or a short memory scribbled into a pretty notebook you pick up from the dollar store.

Try to write down a positive, uplifting wedding or relationship related thought a day. This not only helps focus on the small wins when things feel overwhelming, but years on from your wedding, you’ll have a little something to look back on an remember the best parts of the whole process.

6. Facials/Skin care

Start this now. Your wedding face and honeymoon skin will thank you later.

I like to suggest to “live now as though your wedding/rest of your life was tomorrow.” What would you take the time out of your day to do if it was the week/night before your wedding. Because it’s often too late then. So commit to this small step in self care now.

THE FUN STUFF

7. Coffee dates

Or movies. Or a stroll around the mall. But all these dates? Take them on your own.

Give yourself the time to sit and soak it all up. This almost made my number one self care tips for your wedding planning journey. You deserve this time. Even if it’s just a quick ten minutes one day a week. Stop and breathe this time in. Remember, essentially, it’s a big party to celebrate the start of something better. Yes. It’s once in a lifetime if all goes well and yes, there’s a lot of pressure. But there is also a lot more that’s a lot more important. Breathe.

8. Manicures/Massages

Who doesn’t love a pamper. And as a bride-to-be, you have every excuse to capitalise on this one. Try to work a mani/massage into your monthly/bi-monthly budget leading up to the wedding if possible. If nothing else other than to get away from your Facebook notifications about table seating or the 23 other things on your wedding to-do list. It can all wait a bit, I promise.

9. Bubble baths

Or whatever your equivalent of bliss is. Do it and do it at least once a week, if everyday isn’t possible. And remember, everyone during this process of planning a beautiful celebration of your love, will feed off your energy. The more bliss-ed out you can make yourself feel, the more enjoyable everything will be for you and everyone around you.

10. Girl’s nights

Talking of everyone around you, your girls are your gang! Get them together to celebrate, but celebrate them as much as you can.

Because while this moment is important for you, it can stir up a LOT of stuff for others. So while you’re following these self care tips over here, take a moment. Talk to your girlfriends about what’s happening in their lives. Return that email you’ve been meaning to. Meet up for lunch where you don’t agonise over if you’re headed to Belize or Bali for your honeymoon. After the wedding fun? Yeah, you’ll need her support for MUCH bigger and more important discussions and decisions.

THE IMPORTANT STUFF

11. Prepare

Yes, being engaged is the most fun ever. The dreaming, the planning, the giggling. Following all these fun self care tips for wedding planning that will hopefully keep you blissful vs. bride-zilla.

But lovely, that’s just the beginning. As you walk back down the aisle, hand-in-hand as husband & wife, a new adventure begins. And, (sorry to be a bit of a buzz kill!) but life can quickly take over after the wedding dust has settled and not every day will feel like Valentines day.

Oh no! So what’s left to look forward to after all the pinning, planning and prancing around in your gorgeous gown? Oh, just the rest of forever!

And a forever that, especially leading up to your wedding, you’ll want your significant other/handsome hubby/bestie for life to be excited for.

So, blissful-bride you over there! Once you’re following all the self care tips above, how about you give some back out to the guy who popped onto one knee for you?

12. Involve him

Start (if you haven’t already) to put into place routines and structure into the kind of life you want to build together. Do this by getting him involved in some self-care action too. Eating? Cook a meal a week together or plan a surprise cooking class. Moving? Book a walk/gym session/dance class to take together. Something he will enjoy with you. Sleeping? Wink wink! You get the idea. Wherever you’re loving on your bliss-full bride self, think of how you can include your groom. After all, he’ll be part of this process too!

13. Date Nights

Ok, don’t involve him in ALL things wedding. Plan some date nights together and book. them. in!!! Date nights that aren’t wedding planning meetings/discussing guest lists/nagging him to PLEASE buy a suit. Trust me. He’s got this, no matter how much it seems like he hasn’t.

Let it go a little, for your sake and for his. Please just let all the wedding “stuff & stress” go for a bit. Get dressed up, smack on a little lipgloss and head out with your Fiancée. It’s a time that moves really fast and often feels much shorter in retrospect.

14. Printed reminders 

(DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE HERE)

Grab a pair of scissors and the cute washi tape you were just using in your planner your aunt gifted you.

Click on the image above, save that goodie and send it to your printer. (Or screen shot it for a mobile reminder!) Chop it up into 5. Stick the top reminder somewhere you’ll see it every day. Stick your eat.move.sleep and party/performance reminders somewhere else that you need them most.

Then, after your mani/massage/bubble bath or whatever self-care tip you’ve followed today,spend some time on a little love note for one of your gal pals. Nothing fancy, just a little something. The more you connect to the process and show your appreciation for others, the more they’ll enjoy this process with you.

As for the last and final step, it’s time to plan a little surprise one for your man. Leave him a small love note. Send him an email requesting a wedding meeting, then surprise him with go-carting/a movie date. Anything non-wedding. Smooch him. Apologise for the last little moment of the stress that probably happened, it’s ok. But remind him that you’re making the choice.

The choice that this process is going to be one of bliss, not bride-zilla mode.

That this process is about planning a party to celebrate the both of you, not a performance that you have to take on every single recital practice for.

That you’re in this, not only for the wedding, but for the marriage and the adventure you’ll have at the end of it all.

Happy Planning! You’ve got this!

xx